Friday, 1 May 2015

Sylvia Cascone, Low Incidence Teacher at Don Mills C.I. co-planned/taught with Itinerant Resource Teacher with Assistive Technology, Renée Keberer, as part of the SEA Group Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Learning Community. As her students have been experimenting with emails, a lesson was created to show students how to use a proper email format when sending messages, along with looking at email tools and functions, email safety, and good choice and bad choices when emailing.

First, students were shown a variety of sample emails. After listening to them read aloud using the record sound option in ActivInspire, they indicated whether or not the email had the proper format and if it was appropriate. Corrections were made to the emails when inappropriate items were found, such as missing elements, or inappropriate language.

Sample e-mail with proper format and language.

Next, students where shown how to navigate their email and what the various functions were, such as inbox, compose, etc., along with how to reply to incoming emails.

Some of the tools and functions discussed with students.

The students then generated a list of safety rules around sending emails and opening emails.

Afterwards, the students were presented with a series of email scenarios. Using the ActiVote Response Systems, they answered questions about good and bad email choices.

Scenario 1: Opening an email from an unknown person.

Students listened to the scenario, viewed the inbox and then voted on whether or not they should open this email. (right) Results of vote, followed by class discussion.

Scenario 3: An inappropriate email request.

Students listened to the scenario, viewed the email and then voted on which response would be best. (right) Results of vote, followed by class discussion.

As a culminating task, students were given the assignment of writing an email to a classmate that is moving away.